Francesca Cicchetti

Professor Francesca Cicchetti’s research program consists of three main axes through which her team aims to:

1. Develop methodological tools (cellular or animal) to reproduce various pathological aspects associated with neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases;
2. Better understand the cellular and molecular phenomena underlying the development of these diseases; and
3. Identify new therapeutic targets. This program adopts a translational approach, from animal models in the laboratory to clinical application.

Axis 1: Professor Cicchetti’s team are recognized leaders in characterizing animal models of Parkinson’s disease, among others, those generated by exposure to pesticides. This expertise now allows them to play a significant advisory role in policy changes regarding pesticide legislation in Quebec. They have also recently developed a three-dimensional blood-brain barrier model strictly based on the use of human cells. These works will greatly contribute to the scientific community interested in the transport of various molecules/agents to the brain.

Axis 2: Their work on the prion-like properties of proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases has had the greatest impact in this research area. Through studies on very rare human post-mortem tissues from clinical trials where patients with Huntington’s disease received human fetal tissue grafts, they have demonstrated that this disease, once considered purely genetic, can spread from diseased tissue to healthy tissue via several routes, including the blood.

Axis 3: Professor Cicchetti’s team has patented two new approaches that will be tested once the funding phase is completed by their company, Synucure Therapeutics. Firstly, they have identified a molecule with neuroprotective and neurorestorative properties in several animal models of Parkinson’s disease. The mechanisms of action of cystamine, a drug already approved for the treatment of cystinosis, suggest beneficial effects in the context of this disease. The team has also put a lot of effort into developing a blood biomarker. Currently, the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is only confirmed through post-mortem analysis, and the clinical profile is very heterogeneous; a blood biomarker would allow for early and more reliable diagnoses, as well as the possibility of adjusting treatments based on each patient’s evolving course. This would also allow pharmaceutical companies to validate the effectiveness of new molecules. The patent will enable professor Cicchetti to start the validation and commercialization phase in the coming years.

Over the years, she has developed considerable expertise in both animal models of neurodegenerative diseases and in vitro cellular models useful in several research areas. In addition, her collaborations with several clinical groups give her access to human biological samples (blood, spinal cord, brain), sometimes very rare (brains of transplanted patients). Her partnerships with various pharmaceutical entities, as well as the launch of a company, will accelerate her team’s discoveries towards tangible clinical applications.